Queen Mary knew timing was everything here. She considered herself lucky when she first felt her water break. Having been in the middle of a deep conversation with United States, the younger liner was a bit surprised and concerned when she saw her stepmother's bow drop.
"Mary, are you alright?" She asked.
"United States," Queen Mary rasped. "Help me to the medical berths."
United States nodded, using her shoulder to help support the large liner. She practically had to carry her into an empty berth. Eclipse was quickest onto the scene, and quickly had Queen Mary roll on her side.
"You out!" She growled to United States.
"But.." United States began.
"Out!" Eclipse roared at her.
United States backed up. Another hospital ship, Serene closed the curtains in her face.
"How rude!" United States snorted and resorted to pacing outside.
Indomitable, Queen Mary's mate and the father of the kids was in his berth nearby. If it wasn't for his advancing age and the pains of cancer, he would've been pacing as well.
"Dig a hole to China for me." He asked United States.
"I'll do my best." United States chirped.
Both ships grimaced as a pain filled scream pierced the air.
"That's the fourth one this hour. How much longer is she going to keep this up?" United States asked.
Indomitable shrugged. "That all depends. Some shiplings are quick and eager to emerge others like to take their time."
"And which one were you?" United States asked.
"I gave my mother a hard time." Indomitable replied. "You?"
United States shrugged. "I've been told I was a good baby. Quick to come out." She answered.
"You've turned out to be a fine young lady. I know Normandie would be proud of you." He said.
United States ducked her head and blushed, hearing the carrier's soft laughter behind her as she went back to pacing.
It was a long 14 hour labor before Queen Mary finally managed to push her shiplings out. There were three, 2 girls and a boy.
United States let Indomitable go first before coming in to see her step mother. Queen Mary was on her side, three shiplings eagerly suckling their first meal from her.
"Aww, they're adorable." United States exclaimed.
"Hush, you'll wake them." Queen Mary scolded as she gazed down at her shiplings with a loving eye.
"What are their names?" United States asked.
Queen Mary touched her bow to the only male of the bunch, a spitting image of his father. "This one's Indomitable II." She replied.
Indomitable touched his nose to the middle shipling. One that was very similar in looks to her mother. "This one's Queen Mary II." He said.
Queen Mary nuzzled the third shipling. She looked like a mix between her mother and father. Indomitable's warship appearance shown through in her clean lines while Queen Mary in her hull shape and design.
"And what about that one?" United States asked.
"Américain Patriote." Queen Mary replied. "It's French for American Patriot. The language for Normandie and the name for you."
United States was flattered. "Queen Mary I..." She began.
Her stepmother gave her a gentle, loving smile. "You may annoy me sometimes but I still love you."
"Thank you, Mary." United States managed.
Her shiplings finished drinking, Queen Mary found her keel. Well, tried to anyway. She rolled back on her side with a yelp. A spurt of blood appeared in the water.
"That's not good..." Indomitable said as Eclipse shooed him and United States away.
The pair remained outside the hospital berths and Indomitable, his worry for his mate overriding any amount of pain, paced with United States. Neither caught a wink of sleep that night, nor the following half day.
Eclipse eventually emerged, clearly not having any wink of sleep herself.
"How is she?!" Indomitable demanded.
Eclipse sighed. "She's very weak." She replied. "She's suffered multiple hemorrhages. The shiplings need someone to care for them though. Queen Mary can't possibly care for them in her condition."
"Maybe Queen Elizabeth could help. After all didn't she just have her own shiplings?" United States asked. "I'll go and ask her."
Queen Elizabeth was nursing her shiplings when United States arrived. "Ah, what can I do for you, Big U?" She asked.
"I was wondering if you could take on a few more shiplings?" United States replied.
Queen Elizabeth shifted against her moorings. "I don't see why not. Who's are they?" She asked.
"Mary's. They're newborns." United States replied.
"What's wrong with my sister Big U? Why can't she take care of them?" Queen Elizabeth asked.
"It was a hard birth. Eclipse is doing what she can but it's bad. She says its hemorrhages." United States replied.
Queen Elizabeth sighed and nodded. "Bring them here." She agreed.
...
Eclipse and the other hospital ships worked around the clock on Queen Mary and after several days, Indomitable and United States were allowed in to see her.
"She's very weak though. I wouldn't do anything that would upset her." She warned.
"Understood." Indomitable replied.
United States paced outside, waiting her turn. She thought it only fair the carrier should have some time with his mate. Eventually, Indomitable reemerged.
"She's asking for you." He said. "Practically ordered me out so I could obey Eclipse and get another chemo shot." He shuddered.
"You'll do fine." She assured him.
"Thanks Big U." He replied and sailed off.
United States was in for a shock when she sailed into the berth. Queen Mary was lying on her side, numerous wires and tubes connected to her. One even went down her throat, helping to supply both food and oxygen to her lungs. Her usually shiny night black hull was a dull pale gray for lack of pallor. Her eyes were closed but they opened and fell on United States as she approached.
"Hello, Queen Mary." United States greeted.
Queen Mary blinked and shifted her head a bit in a greeting of her own.
"How are you feeling?" United States asked, wanting to smack herself on the bridge for asking such a stupid question. Well of course Queen Mary would be feeling terrible.
Queen Mary made an "eh." sound to say "It comes and goes."
"Eclipse told me you suffered hemorrhaging." United States said.
Queen Mary bobbed her head in the affirmative.
"When I saw that blood and then Eclipse shooed me out, I was so scared." United States confessed.
Queen Mary's eyes remained fixed on her stepdaughter as United States spoke.
"Just the waiting, not knowing if you-you'd make it or if you, if you'd..." United States broke off, tears starting to fall from her eyes.
"I just-I love you so much. I never wanted anything to happen to you." She whimpered, pressing her bow against Queen Mary's side.
She felt Queen Mary's hot breath against her ear as the older ship tried to nuzzle her. A whimper escaped her.
"I'm alright, I'm alright though." United States backed off with a smile, trying to clear away her tears. She leaned down again. "I'm alright." She whispered to Queen Mary.
The British ship returned her nuzzle.
"You just concentrate on getting yourself better. Do what the doctors tell you." United States told her.
Queen Mary sighed and bobbed her head in agreement. United States kissed the top of her head. "Now you rest." She ordered. "I'll be back soon."
Queen Mary whimpered, gripping weakly at United States' hull. United States sighed, knowing what her stepmother wanted. "Give me a minute, I'll be right back." She promised.
Queen Mary nodded and United States sailed out to share a quick word with Eclipse to see if it was okay that she stayed the night.
"As long as I can get in to check on her, I don't have any problem with you staying. Who knows, it might help her." The hospital ship said.
United States nodded and sailed back in to find Queen Mary already asleep. Settling down beside her she felt Queen Mary shift and the younger liner curled around her stepmother, happily falling asleep minutes later.
Indomitable returned to find the pair and smiled. He didn't have the heart to tell his mate what Eclipse had just told him but he was glad this beautiful sight would be one the last thing he'd ever see.
"Goodbye my love. Take good care of our shiplings." He murmured and sailed back to his berth for the last time.
...
The following weeks Queen Mary's condition improved dramatically. Eclipse let her out of the medical berths about 2 weeks after she came in and she was back on solid foods another week after. Queen Elizabeth gave her sister back her shiplings.
"They're absolutely darling." She said.
"I know. I'll be sure to take good care of them." Queen Mary replied. She nuzzled all three, giving Indomitable II an extra nuzzle.
His namesake unfortunately had passed away during the night that United States had chosen to stay with Queen Mary. "He's got some big props to fill." Queen Mary murmured as she gazed down at her son.
"He'll do fine." United States smiled.
The older liner nuzzled her stepdaughter. "Thank you for staying with me." She said.
"My pleasure Mary. I love you." She replied.
"I love you too."